Final Report Summary - ENPRODUS (Development of an Operational Plan for Environmental Protection from Industrial Dusts in Russia and other NIS)
The ENPRODUS project addressed the environmental pollution problems that were related to the emission of metallurgical dusts in Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. Actually, ENPRODUS aimed at the development of an operational plan, which would include proposals of feasible preventive and remedial technologies that were already installed and run in other European or non-European countries facing same or similar environmental problems. Moreover, ENPRODUS aimed at determining research priorities with high innovation potential, taking into consideration the needs of the local industry and community, disseminating existing and new knowledge so as the scientific communities of Russia and other New independent states (NIS) to be familiarised with the respective technologies and assisting the scientific community and the national authorities of the involved countries towards economic growth through sustainable development and management of natural resources.
The strategic objective of this project was the reinforcement of environmental protection, one of the three distinct pillars on which sustainable development for both, developed and developing countries, was based.
Thereby, the main objectives of the ENPRODUS project were:
1. the creation of an inventory, including detailed information on the environmental contamination related to metallurgical dusts generation in the target countries (Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan) and a risk assessment study for the dusts' impacts on the regional ecosystem and the human's health;
2. the comparison of the production technologies currently used in the regional metallurgical industries of concerns and the technologies used for the management of the generated industrial dusts with the best available technologies used in the relevant fields. This comparison would result in the designation of a frame for potential and feasible technological improvements in the target countries facing the environmental problems related to the metallurgical dusts generation;
3. the development of an operational plan aiming at:
(i) proposing appropriate and viable technologies for the confrontation of the environmental problems related to the metallurgical dusts generation in Russia and other NIS;
(ii) composing a framework for the development of new and innovative technologies related to the environmental management of the metallurgical dusts; and
(iii) enabling the European Commission to define its future Research and technological development (RTD) strategic objectives and policies in the field of metallurgical activities in this geographic area;
4. the dissemination of existing and gained knowledge and the exchange of valuable experience on subjects related to management technologies for the metallurgical dusts.
The work that was performed during this project was divided into five work packages:
WP1 (Data collection and environmental problem assessment) focused at defining the size and extent of the environmental pollution problems caused from the metallurgical dusts generation in the target countries, as well as at assessing the risk posed by the generated dusts with regards to the potential and actual impairments for the main natural receptors and affected media.
WP2 (Technology assessment) aimed at determining the reasons that cause environmental pollution problems, regarding the metallurgical dusts generation, as well as at defining potential and feasible technological improvements that have to be adopted by the metallurgical industry in the target countries, in order to prevent and / or remediate the environmental contamination related to the dusts generation.
WP3 (Operational plan development) aimed at developing an operational plan that should:
(i) propose appropriate and viable technologies for the confrontation of the environmental pollution caused by the generation of metallurgical dusts in the target countries;
(ii) compose a framework for the development of new and innovative technologies for the management (abatement, recycling, reuse and disposal) of the metallurgical dusts; and
(iii) enforce the European Commission to better define its future RTD strategic objectives and policies in the field of metallurgical activities in the geographic area of Russia and other NIS.
WP4 (Dissemination of knowledge) focused at disseminating the gained and existing knowledge and exchanging valuable experience on subjects related to the management of the metallurgical dusts.
Regarding WP5 (Project management) NTUA, as the project coordinator, performed the management of the project during the two years. In particular, NTUA coordinated all the project activities in a timely and effective way, prepared and submitted in the European Commission all the technical reports and financial statements, organised and chaired the project's progress meetings and arranged the consortium communication with the European Commission responsible officer.
The strategic objective of this project was the reinforcement of environmental protection, one of the three distinct pillars on which sustainable development for both, developed and developing countries, was based.
Thereby, the main objectives of the ENPRODUS project were:
1. the creation of an inventory, including detailed information on the environmental contamination related to metallurgical dusts generation in the target countries (Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan) and a risk assessment study for the dusts' impacts on the regional ecosystem and the human's health;
2. the comparison of the production technologies currently used in the regional metallurgical industries of concerns and the technologies used for the management of the generated industrial dusts with the best available technologies used in the relevant fields. This comparison would result in the designation of a frame for potential and feasible technological improvements in the target countries facing the environmental problems related to the metallurgical dusts generation;
3. the development of an operational plan aiming at:
(i) proposing appropriate and viable technologies for the confrontation of the environmental problems related to the metallurgical dusts generation in Russia and other NIS;
(ii) composing a framework for the development of new and innovative technologies related to the environmental management of the metallurgical dusts; and
(iii) enabling the European Commission to define its future Research and technological development (RTD) strategic objectives and policies in the field of metallurgical activities in this geographic area;
4. the dissemination of existing and gained knowledge and the exchange of valuable experience on subjects related to management technologies for the metallurgical dusts.
The work that was performed during this project was divided into five work packages:
WP1 (Data collection and environmental problem assessment) focused at defining the size and extent of the environmental pollution problems caused from the metallurgical dusts generation in the target countries, as well as at assessing the risk posed by the generated dusts with regards to the potential and actual impairments for the main natural receptors and affected media.
WP2 (Technology assessment) aimed at determining the reasons that cause environmental pollution problems, regarding the metallurgical dusts generation, as well as at defining potential and feasible technological improvements that have to be adopted by the metallurgical industry in the target countries, in order to prevent and / or remediate the environmental contamination related to the dusts generation.
WP3 (Operational plan development) aimed at developing an operational plan that should:
(i) propose appropriate and viable technologies for the confrontation of the environmental pollution caused by the generation of metallurgical dusts in the target countries;
(ii) compose a framework for the development of new and innovative technologies for the management (abatement, recycling, reuse and disposal) of the metallurgical dusts; and
(iii) enforce the European Commission to better define its future RTD strategic objectives and policies in the field of metallurgical activities in the geographic area of Russia and other NIS.
WP4 (Dissemination of knowledge) focused at disseminating the gained and existing knowledge and exchanging valuable experience on subjects related to the management of the metallurgical dusts.
Regarding WP5 (Project management) NTUA, as the project coordinator, performed the management of the project during the two years. In particular, NTUA coordinated all the project activities in a timely and effective way, prepared and submitted in the European Commission all the technical reports and financial statements, organised and chaired the project's progress meetings and arranged the consortium communication with the European Commission responsible officer.
